Mid-Trip Report

We have lost no one and have had no emergency room trips!

Info about Service Trip

Greetings,

Wartburg Scholars is in the process of organizing a service trip over fall break. We are looking to go out west to Longmont, Colorado to do local and rural flood relief (specifically in Lyons, but also elsewhere if we cannot venture directly into Lyons). Accommodations have not yet been finalized, but information about that will be coming out soon. The trip is free of cost; the only cost that students who want to go on the trip will incur will be food costs. Everything else will be covered by Wartburg Scholars (travel, lodging, et cetera). 

Fall break is Oct. 24-27. We would most likely be leaving on Oct. 23rd, stay in a hotel on the way out to Colorado, and arrive in Colorado on the 24th. We would arrive back on campus the evening of the 27th. Also, due to the nature of the work we will be doing, it is very highly recommended that anyone planning to go on the trip check their immunization records to see if they have had a Tetanus booster within the last five years. If not, then it is highly recommended that students planning on going receive a tetanus booster. Please let me know as soon as possible if you can and would commit to such a trip, and if you have any questions about the trip. I would like to have a count of how many people will be going by Friday, if possible. You can respond via this form or email scholars @ wartburg.edu if you are interested.

Looking forward to having another great fall break trip this year! Hope that some of you can join!

Welfare

This week we discussed Welfare with the SCH 101 class.  This is always fun since the political leanings of students in class are in a spectrum from wide left to wide right and everything in between.  The question remains, what do to about problems of poverty in our country and worldwide?  So - for the students - here are two options I support that attack poverty problems from different points of view:

1.  Kiva -- This is for my more conservative students.  The point of Kiva is to loan money in units of $25 to people in third world countries with poor banking systems so that they can improve their lives and pay back the loans.  When you make the loan, you decide who to loan the money to based on what the money will be used for (supplies, education, etc.).  Then once you are paid back $25 you can loan it out again.

2.  Give Directly -- This is for my more liberal students. The point of Give Directly is to find the poorest of the poor in Kenya.  One of the amazing things about Kenya is that they don't have ATMs, but they have bypassed this entirely to use cheap cell phones to transfer money.  Once Give Directly has identified these poor, they give them money directly to use as they see fit.  The ideas is that the poor really know what will benefit them. "The most frequent self-reported use of funds is purchasing a metal roof. We estimate the annual rate of return on on metal as opposed to thatch roofing to be 15%-20%, suggesting this is an attractive investment."

I challenge the Scholars students to hold some fund raisers and then use this money to improve the life of someone who lives in abject poverty.  It is up to the Scholars to decide whether to go the conservative path or the liberal path.

Awaken the Dreamer Retreat

At the Upper Midwest Honors Council conference a week ago, we heard a talk by some students from Mt. Mercy College in Cedar Rapids.  They have incorporated Awaken the Dreamer/Changing the Dream into their curriculum at the college.  They have offered to come to Wartburg and have a retreat for the Scholars Program in the Fall.  This is an introductory video.

Please let us know if you are interested by filling out the questionnaire.

Scholars Service Project Opportunity

Come spend stress-free time with friends preparing Travel Gift Bags for students studying abroad for May Term.

When:  Friday, 4/5/13, 2-3 PM
Where: Outside Dr. Birgen's Office, 358 Science Center
Who:  Anyone who wants to
Scholars Culture Point: You Bet

Committee Heads

The Wartburg Scholars Program has five committees that are in charge of most of the extracurricular parts of the program.  Chosen by their peers, the heads of the committees for 2013-2014 will be

Academics Committee	Robert King
Admissions Committee	Aditi Patel
Publicity Committee	Nicole Jamieson
Service Committee	Kelsey Smith
Special Events Committee	Andra Peeler

Additionally, there will be a Service Project opportunity Friday afternoon outside Dr. Birgen's office in the Science Center when we put together Travel Gift Bags for all the Scholars traveling over May Term.

Pearson Prize

The Pearson Prize is an award distributed by the Pearson Foundation that recognizes students who distinguish themselves by leading public service efforts and give back to their local community while completing their undergraduate studies.

We've made a few exciting changes to the program this year in order to provide even more students with the financial support and additional assistance they'll need to grow their programs and community outreach efforts. In 2013, 100 students will receive a cash prize of $1,000 to meet their goals, empowering more students than ever before to enrich their communities!

Please share this exciting opportunity with your students. The Pearson Prize application is available online and applications must be completed by April 19, 2013.

DC Internship Information

Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service

June 5 – August 3 * Washington, DC

www.DCinternships.org/IPVS  

**EXTENDED APPLICATION DEADLINE - MARCH 26**

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING STILL AVAILABLE

Are you passionate about service and making a lasting impact in your community?  Are you looking for a summer experience that will give you the tools to standout in today’s competitive job market? 

Apply NOW for the 2013 Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service and dive head first into Washington, DC’s unique and growing nonprofit sector. As one of the top cities in America for young nonprofit professionals,our nation’s capital is the perfect place to launch your career!

LIVE in furnished apartments in the heart of the city.

LEARN the foundations of the nonprofit sector and earn up to 9 transferable credits from George Mason University.

INTERN in some of Washington, DC’s most exciting nonprofit organizations.

SERVE in hands on projects and affect change in the community.

APPLY NOW!

This summer’s deadline has been extended to March 26 with generous scholarship funding still available. To take advantage of the extended application and scholarship deadline, please contact admissions staff atadmissions@tfas.org  or 202-986-0384. We will work with you to help you complete your application and ensure that it qualifies for the extended deadline.

For more information and to begin an online application please visit www.DCinternships.org/IPVS.

Welcome Back Service Trips

Did you go on a service trip this Winter Break?  Did you travel with the Scholars SCH 110 course?  Did you know you can earn Scholars Culture Points for this activity?  All you need to do is report your activity using the form.

Leave the Wartburg Bubble

This is why we go to college and, when we go to college, we leave.  Good luck to all the Service Trips this week.